1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved parasol, more particularly, to a parasol with improved ventilation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a parasol is a device for shielding people from the sunlight. It usually includes a frame and a panel. The frame includes a shaft and a plurality of ribs and stretchers that are pivotally connected to the shaft. The panel is attached to and covers the ribs.
When a conventional parasol is held by a user it gives shade to the user, but the ventilation between the space below the parasol and the ambient air tends to be inadequate, especially when the sunlight is strong. Two different kinds of parasols have been developed previously to attempt to solve this problem. The first example is illustrated in FIG. 5. The parasol panel as shown includes a primary panel (30) and a secondary panel (31) situated concentrically with respect to the primary panel (30), a shaft (40) securely located in the center of the primary panel (30) and the secondary panel (31), and a plurality of primary ribs (41) radially extending between the center and the peripheral edge of the primary panel (30), and a plurality of secondary ribs (42) with a first end which is pivotally connected to one of the corresponding primary ribs (41) and a second end which is slidably moveable in relation to the shaft (40).
The primary panel (30) has a plurality of openings (301) positioned between adjacent ribs (41). The diameter of the secondary panel (31) is shorter than a radius of the primary panel (30) but it is longer than a length of the diameter between the connection point of the stretchers (42) and the ribs (41), such that when the primary panel (30) extends along the extension of the secondary ribs (42), the secondary panel (31) covers the openings (301) in the primary panel (30). Air is thus able to flow from an outer periphery (311) of the secondary panel (31) through the openings (301) to the space under the parasol to improve the ventilation.
FIG. 6 shows another prior art parasol panel and it includes a primary panel (50), a secondary panel (51) located concentrically with respect to the primary panel (50), a shaft (60) securely located at the center of the primary panel (50) and the secondary panel (51), a plurality of ribs (61) radially extending between the center and the peripheral edge of the primary panel (50) and a plurality of secondary ribs (62) with a first end which is pivotally connected to a corresponding one of the primary ribs (61) and a second end which is slidably moveable in relation to the shaft (60). The central part of the primary panel (50) includes a porous, net-like material (501). The secondary panel (51) has a radius shorter than that of the primary panel (50) but it extends over the porous material (501) so that air can flow from the gap between the outer periphery (511) of the secondary panel (51) and the primary panel (50).
Neither of the two parasols actually provides an adequate solution for the ventilation problem.
In FIG. 5, since the secondary panel (31,51) is attached to the same frame segments as the primary panel (30,50), the gap between the two panels is too small to permit an adequate flow of air therethrough.
In FIGS. 5 or 6, with the exception of the holes or netting, the primary panel (30,50) completely covers the primary ribs (41,61). A large portion of the secondary panel (31,51) covers the material of the primary panel (30,50), which duplicates the function of the panel (30,50) and therefore is a waste of material.
The invention aims to provide an improved structure for a parasol which not only retains proper ventilation but adds to its strength and minimizes damage to the primary and/or secondary panel while saving material in the overall fabrication of the parasol.